1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote controller and a remote control system capable of remotely controlling a plurality of apparatuses that are wirelessly connected to one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it has become possible to hang video display panels such as a liquid crystal display apparatus and an organic EL (Electroluminescence) panel (hereinafter, referred to as display unit) on walls in houses due to thinning and a reduction in weight of the display unit. However, a cable extending from the display unit hung on the wall impairs an appearance to thus cause a restriction of an installation location. A technique of transmitting necessary video signals and the like to the display panel from another apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as media receiver unit) without using a cable is already in practical use.
It is desirable to use a single remote controller for operating two apparatuses of the display unit and the media receiver unit. This type of remote controller is called multi-remote controller. There are known two methods of controlling a plurality of apparatuses by a remote controller. As an example, let us assume an operation of turning on a power source of the apparatuses. In the first method, a power-ON command from a remote controller is received by one apparatus such as a display unit, and the power-ON command is transferred from the display unit to another apparatus such as a media receiver unit.
In the second method, after an operation of switching an apparatus to be controlled is carried out in a remote controller, a command is transmitted to the selected apparatus. The remote controller itself may successively issue a command to the apparatuses without carrying out the switching operation. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-198115 describes an example of a multi-remote controller.